THE CUBA REVIEW 



17 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



DEMAND FOR KNIT GOODS IN CUBA. 



The statistics of the Treasury Department 

 of Cuba do not separately classify knit goods, 

 so it is not i)OSsible to give the quantity and 

 value of the imports. There is, however, a 

 large demand in this country for hosiery and 

 knit goods in general of the cheaper grades 

 and a moderate demand for its higher-priced 

 goods. It is estimated that the total annual 

 importations of silk hosiery into Cuba will not 

 exceed $30,000 in value. 



Before the war the United States furnished 

 but a relatively small i^roportion of the im- 

 ports of knit goods into the country, but since 

 1915 by far the greater part of these importa- 

 tions have come from the United States. By 

 close attention to the needs of the market 

 it is believed that American exporters should 

 be able to hold this trade advantage. 



New firms entering this market can expect 

 to make little progress, except through the 

 efforts of well-qualified salesmen who will per- 

 sonally canvass the territory. Salesmen 

 visitmg this country should possess a thorough 

 knowledge of the Spanish language. 



(A hst of the principal importers of dry 

 goods in Santiago de Cuba can be obtained 

 from the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic 

 Commerce or its district or cooperative offices 

 by referring to file No. 102802.)— Consul 

 Henry W. Wolcott, Santiago. 



NATIONAL ECONOMY SHOE 



At a conference held August 16 between 

 Major Armando Andre and the shoe importers 

 at the offices of the Food Control Board in 

 Havana, it was decided to create six types of 

 shoes, two each for men, women and children, 

 to be known as "National Economy Shoes," 

 and to be sold to the consimier at cost. A 

 committee of three has been named by the 

 Food Control Board to come to Washington 

 to confer with the American authorities in an 

 endeavor to arrange for the purchase of shoes 

 for resale in Cuba. 



CUBAN STAR LINE 



Several months ago the Cuban Star Line 

 was incor])orated in Havana to engage in the 

 ship-building industry, and a commission of 

 business men interested in the enterprise 



came to the United States to endeavor to 

 secure permits from Washington to ship the 

 required construction material to Cuba. The 

 securing of a supply of steel presented such 

 difficulties, in view of the requirements of 

 Japan and other Allied naticms, that it was 

 proi)osc(l to hold the Cuban proposition in 

 abeyance for four months unless steel con- 

 ditions should show a marked improvement 

 in the meantime. At the end of two months, 

 however, Dr. Manuel R. Ang^ulo, who headed 

 the commission, was able to make arrange- 

 ments for a constant supply of materials 

 needed, not only for the proposed shipyard 

 with six ways, but for double that capacity. 

 The addition was necessary because the com- 

 pany had completed negotiations with foreign 

 firms and governments for contracts that 

 would ensure work for the next two years, 

 launching twelve steamships of 9,000 tons 

 each every six months. 



TOBACCO 



Exports of leaf and manufactured tobacco 

 from Cuba in the month of May exceeded 

 two and a half milUon dollars, the latter half 

 of the month showing a marked increase. 



The exports consisted 20,049 bales of to- 

 bacco, valued at $1,617,899; cigars, 10,401,- 

 397 worth $868,658 ; cigarettes, 833,638 

 packages worth $37,099; and 16,061 kilo- 

 grams of smoking tobacco worth $18,362. 



The greater part of tobacco exported during 

 May was sent to the United States and Eng- 

 land, the former country taking 2,804,437 

 cigars and the latter 1,170,820, the greater 

 part in both cases being for the troops in the 

 field. 



CLUB PRIVILEGES FOR FOREIGN BUYERS 



The American Manufacturers' Export As- 

 sociation reports to the Department of Com- 

 merce that it has completed arrangements 

 whereby its members can entertain foreign 

 buyers at the Old Colony Club in New York. 

 The privileges extended include the use of the 

 facilities of the club, food and arrangements 

 for lodging. In the past this matter of the 

 social entertainment of foreign buyers has 

 not always received the attenton it deserved 

 from the American exporter. 



